One thing left to say
by cmanonimo
Summary: There are no words that can describe her everything he feels for her, except, maybe just two.


**One thing left to say**

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Story inspired by a fragment of my first story "Falling in love" (I think it needs a better title)  
To be honest I had a few problems with the ending, I wrote several options but I found the simplest the best, let me know if it was a right decision. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the mistakes.

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"One night." Haley said out loud while she parked in front her building. "Just one night. That's all I asked." She got out of the car closing the door with a little more force than the necessary.

To say she was mad is an underestimate. Tonight was her 10-years High school reunion and he promised he would be there, but he wasn't. It wouldn't be that bad if he'd said he couldn't make it, she could have understood, in fact, she was prepared for that.  
He was away in a case all week, and she told him it wasn't big deal if he wasn't there. She could go by herself, if someone ask her in the reunion why she was alone, she could have said "_My boyfriend is out the town. He's an FBI Agent. You remember Aaron Hotchner?..."_ and start telling how he works for an elite unit and catches the criminals that no one else can. But instead he called that morning saying he was on his way, that he may be a little late but he'll see her there. So when someone asked her why she was alone she said _"My boyfriend is coming later",_ but hours passed and there was no sign of him.  
There were moments she thought the possibility that something had happened, which only increased her frustration for not knowing, but seeing his car in the parking lot, all the worry went away and was replaced by anger, because either he forgot or he didn't care. So, yeah, she wasn't mad, she was furious.

"Is it so hard to just make a call?" She mumbled making her way to their apartment. It has only been a month since they've been living together. Everyone said it was too soon. They just started dating again a little after he came back from Seattle, but it only took two dates for them to realize what they felt in high school was real and it was still alive. Ten years of being just friends was enough time wasted, so he moved with her, a logical and simple progression for them.

She opened the door and switched on the lights. "Aaron." She said surprised to find him sitting in the couch.

"Hey." He spoke quietly, failing to let a small smile appear on his tired face.

Her previous thoughts about something happened were true, except not in the way she expected. Her heart ached seeing him like that. She knew his job was hard, there have been occasions when he came back a little withdrawn, but nothing like this, sitting in the dark looking so defeated, with so much sorrow, so broken.

She left her purse on the coffee table and sat next to him. "What happened?" She asked with concern.

He didn't answered, just stayed quiet staring at nothing. After a couple of minutes passed he leaned forward resting his forearms in his knees and his hands folded in front of him. "We couldn't save her" he whispered, looking down at his hands.

For Aaron, his work as a prosecutor never seemed enough. Even in the cases he won, there was always the feeling that he was too late, that something could have been done before. That's one of the reasons why he had made the decision to be an FBI Agent, and when he was qualified, join the BAU. Now, however, he misses that feeling, it was so much easier to handle than this sense of failure. _"Unfortunately, we can't always save them all"_ it's what Agent Rossi had said to him. Aaron knew it, sometimes you have luck and you win, sometimes you do everything you have to, and you still lose. But how do you explain it to a father or a mother, to a husband or a wife, to a son or a daughter? How could he say that he did his job when an innocent woman will never return home?

"I'm so sorry, Aaron." Haley said caressing his hair and taking one of his hands in her free hand.

They stayed in silent. If he wanted to talk, she would listen. If he needed words of comfort, she would say them. But he didn't need either of them. He just needed her to hold him while he got himself together, and she would stay as long as it takes.

After what felt like hours he finally spoke. "Sorry I missed the reunion." He really intended to go, he came home, took a shower and changed clothes, he was ready, but then, in a moment, everything that happened in the case caught up to him, and he just couldn't.

"It's ok, I understand." She said, anger forgotten and wishing had been there when he first came.

He looked up at her. "I don't deserve you." He said, half joking and half serious.

She looked away and sighed heavily. "No, you don't." She looked back at him with a teasing smile. "You're lucky I love you anyway."

A real smile that showed his dimples and reached his eyes formed in his face.  
He then realized it was the first time he smiled over the whole week.  
He then realized she's the reason he smiles. She's the reason he's happy. She's the reason he finds peace in a world made of nightmares.  
He then realized that his first impression about her, all those years ago when he saw her in the theater club, was the right one.  
He then realized there's only one thing left to say.

"Marry me."

She remained motionless, surprise written on her face. She could have sworn her heart stopped in that exact moment. For a second, she thought he was joking, or that maybe he didn't mean to say it, that it was just caused by his current state, but seeing his eyes staring at hers, she didn't see doubt or fear or remorse, all she saw was determination, and hope, and love.

When Haley was a little girl, she used to imagine how the most important romantic moments of her life would be like. Like the dreamy meeting with her prince charming, or the perfect first date with said prince showing at her door with a branch of her favorite flowers, or the romantic proposal with dinner, candles and slow music playing.

Growing up she found out that, of course, they were all childish wishes.  
Their first meeting wasn't dreamy; they didn't even have an actual conversation until two weeks later they met.  
On their first date he didn't show up with her favorite flowers. He tossed over the popcorns. And they had to leave the movies because they were asked to, not in a very polite way.  
Now, there's not candle light dinner and the only sound comes from the few cars passing by outside.

All those moments were definitely not like she pictured, but she wouldn't change a thing.  
When they finally talked, they spoke for hours about everything and anything, and they became best friends.  
He threw the popcorns because she stumbled and he stopped her from falling.  
They left the movies because they could never stop laughing.  
Later that night after he drove her home, he came back with a single red tulip saying that he didn't want her to carry it all night because if she stumbles and he tries to help her, the tulip could be damaged.  
He then quieted her laughter by pressing his lips against hers.

Growing up, she found out that she doesn't need candles or dinner or music.  
What she wants is a man who wants to spend the rest of his life with her, who wants to start a family with her. A man who makes her feel like the most special person when he smiles at her. Who makes her feel protect in his arms. Who makes her feel loved with just one look.

What she wants, it's him.

And although that was definitely, completely, utterly unexpected, she wouldn't change a thing. Because no matter the place, or the time, or the way, the answer would always be the same.

"Yes."

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**A/N:**The reason why I wrote Haley like a very supportive girlfriend here, it's because I do believe she did understand Hotch's job, you can notice it the first two seasons, but like Rossi said in an episode, we all have a breaking point, and she reached hers, it doesn't mean that she didn't love him anymore.


End file.
